Learning Library
ByGenevieve Alvarado
Last updated February 18, 2025
Perfume and Fragrance are the scents that define a mood or feeling. In this post, we will show you how to make perfume. We provide a recipe below and percentages of the amount of fragrance to use. We will also give you a rundown on Fragrance 101. So that you can know where the fragrance in perfume can be derived. Whether you’re starting your own personal care business. Or want to jump on the fragrance trend. We hope this information inspires you.
What is Perfume?
According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary: It is the scent of something sweet-smelling or a substance that emits a pleasant odor. Particularly a fluid preparation of natural essences (as from plants or animals) or synthetics and a fixative used for scenting. However, most people think of perfume as a strong luxurious body spray.
There are subcategories of perfume that are based on the fragrance concentration. With a range from 1-40% fragrance load. The percentage of fragrance oil will determine what the perfume will be classified as.
- 1-3% Fragrance oil:Eau Fraiche
- 2-5% Fragrance oil: Eau de Cologne
- 5-15% Fragrance Oil: Eau de Toilette
- 15-20% Fragrance Oil: Eau de Parfum
- 20-40% Fragrance Oil: Parfumx Extrait de parfum, or solid perfume.
How To Make Perfume
This recipe will be using our Body Spray Base which can handle up to 5% fragrance. So you will only be able to technically make an Eau Fraiche, Eau de Cologne, and Eau de Toilette.
You Will Need:
– Essentials By Catalina Body Spray Base (1 gallon) (95%)
–Fragrance or Essential Oil (6.4 ounces) (5%)
Steps:
1) Empty 6.4 ounces by weight from the gallon.
2) Add the 6.4 ounces of fragrance to the gallon.
3) Shake well until you see no oil streaks in the gallon.
Be sure to test your fragrance in small batches before making big batches. Use our batch calculator to determine how much fragrance you will need.
What is Perfume Oil?
Perfume oil can mean two things. The first is a term used for the fragrance oil, essential oil, terpene, or extract that is added to alcohol to make the perfume. It is best to use the correct name of the oil when talking about the component you are adding to the alcohol or body spray base.
The second meaning is a highly concentrated perfume oil. Instead of using alcohol as the carrier, you would use a lightweight oil That would be able to handle a higher fragrance load. These perfumes are best suited in bottles with roller balls.
Our weightless Dry Oil is the ideal base for a perfume oil. The weightless formula blends well with fragrance and makes the scent last longer on the body.
What is a Solid Perfume?
A solid perfume is a fragrance in solid form, like a paste or balm. Made from waxes, oils, and or fats. Solid perfumes are usually concentrated and scented at 40%. The great part about a solid perfume is you can fill it into creative containers. Like this seashell compact for example.
Our lotion Bar and Balm Base is a great option for a solid perfume. it is important not to overheat this base. If you overheat it can become grainy. Taking away from the luxurious finish.
Fragrance 101
There tends to be some confusion when it comes to Fragrance. oftentimes essential oil will be called fragrance oil and vice versa. You may also see fragrance oil being called perfume oil. Here are the names and the clear definitions.
Fragrance Oil: Synthetic blend of aroma compounds that make a fragrant oil. Used to scent a product.
Essential Oil: Concentrated natural oils that are extracted from plants.
Terpenes: Organic compounds that can also be a component of essential oil. Extracted from plants used to create singular note scents. Perfumers often incorporate them into their scent blends.
Animal Derived Perfume Ingredients: Most perfumes don’t use animal-derived ingredients such as musk. Nowadays there is a synthetic version that is less expensive and vegan-friendly.
In conclusion, Perfume is a blanket term for a strong-scented body product. With so many variations there are so many ways to make perfume. Find all the ingredients on our website and follow our blog for recipes, ingredient information, and market trends.
Sources:
Source 1 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfume
